Stove-grate



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. H. LA RUE.

STOVE. GRATE. I No. 247,201. Patented Sept. 20,1881.

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(No Model.) v '3 Sheets-Sh'et 3: S. H. LA RUE.

STOVE GRATE.

No. 247,201. Patented Sept. 20,1881.v

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SILAS H. RUE, OF READING, PENNSYLVANIA.

STOVE- GRATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 247,201, dated September 20, 1881. Application filed May 2-1, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SILAS H. LA RUE, of the city of Reading, county of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Stoves and Grates, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement is more particularly related to that class of stoves, ranges, and heaters which are provided with anti-clinkering grates and mechanism for operating the same.

Referringto the drawings herewith, forming part of this specification, in which like parts are designated by similar figures, Figure 1, Sheet 1, represents a sectional side view of a rectangular stove embodying my improvement; Fig. 2, Sheet 1, a cross-sectional plan through the combustion-chamber at :10 cc; Fig. 3, Sheet 1, a side elevation of the fire-box, showing mechanism for operating the gratecleaning device; Fig. 4, Sheet 1, a section of the fire-grate chamber, showing the grate and its appendages Fig. 5, Sheet 2, aplan of the fire-grate chamber. Fig. 6, Sheet 2, shows the improvement attached to a range; Fig. 7, Sheet 2, a plan of the range withits top plate partially removed; Fig. 8, Sheet 2, a plan of the range-base underneath the oven; Fig.9, Sheet 3, a perspective view of the fire-grate chamber and cleaning appliances Fig. 10, Sheet 3, a section showing fixed gate and permanent passage, Fig. 11, Sheet 3, showing arran gement of cleaners for a broad grate; Fig. 12, Sheet 3, plan of slicer or cleaner; Fig. 13, Sheet 3, plan of gate or shelf.

A represents the base of the stove, range, or heater having my improvements attached, in which B is the revertible-flue connections, D the dust-chute, and C the drawer to receive the dust.

E is the fire-grate chamber, containing the grate G,gate or shelf H, having journals H, and guards H F is the slicer or cleaner, provided with fingers F, which are cast with the bar, and having collars f f, bearings g g, and a square portion projecting beyond the fire-grate box wall and outer shell, for a purpose hereinafter disclosed.

J is the lower basket fire-pot, and K the upper one. i

L is a dead-air space between the fire-pots J and K.

L isa clear-air space in communication with the air of the apartment by the usual ash-pit doors or registers therein. V r

L L L are mica-glazed doors, which in a straight or direct draft stove would be inserted entirely around the shell of the same, but in a rectangularstoveembodyingmyimprovements would be confined to the front and two sides of the same.

M is the magazine for fuel, constructed with a uniform increase of sizefrom the receiving to the discharging end, and is set back of the center of the combustion-chamber S, and so arranged with reference to the upper fire-pot, K, that the fuel shall be delivered at an angle toward the front of the same.

M is the cover to the magazine. J, the second fire-pot, is made about one-third to onehalf the height of K. N is the top plate, and N the smoke-chamber; P, the top shell, having a sliding or swinging ornamental cover, 1?, to the opening therein for feedingthe magazine; R and R, revertible flues; S, shell of stove, heater, or range; T,hot-air flue forheating a chamber above; U, the uptake-flue; V, a damper in the top plate, N, for direct draft; W, adamper for indirect draft, placed in the revertible flue R.

The grate-operating mechanism consists of the following elements: a can], E, having a continuous flange around its periphery at one side of the same, an unequal-ended lever, E having a plain rounded end, E, and an offset hooked end, E mounted on the pivot E and limited in its movement by a stop, E cast on the end of the fire-grate chamber, as is the pivot E A pendent arm, E, forming part of the gate or shelf H, rests outside of the firegrate chamber upon the long end E of the lever E The shaft F of the slicer or cleaner has curved fingers F cast upon it, so arranged as G of the fire-grate-chamber grate, has coll'ars f j" at each end, inside of the fire-grate-chamber plates, to prevent lateral motion, with a journal, 9, at one end, in the chamber-plate,

and at the other end a journal, for the firein their revolution to pass between the bars grate-chamber plate, with an extension thereof passing through theoutside shell, and formed square to receive the cam E on the outside of the fire-chamber plate and a crank, F outside of the shell.

Although my grate-cleanin g device is applicable to all grates-plain, fixed, and movableyet I give preference to a grate constructed as shown, being inwardly curved at the rear and havinga reverse curve or droop at the front, the bars being tied together at such distance below the floor 0f the grate G as will not obstruct the discharge of material from the grate-floor by the sweep of the slicer or cleaner F.

The operation of the combination is as follows: Fire is built upon the grate G in the usualmanner,damperV being open and damper W closed to give a direct draft. As the fire kindles up the fire-pots J and Kare successively filled, and lastly the magazine M. After the fire has become bright the direct damper V is closed. and the damper W in the revertible flue R is opened. The draft-is then from the fuel to the opening W, when it passes down the flue R to the base B, crosses the same to the opening B in the dividing-partition, then returns to and up the flue R to the uptake U. Should a smoldering fire be desired, both dampers V and W are closed. Any gases which may arise will then pass up through the combustion-chamber and by the damper V (which is not absolutely gas-tight) into the top chamber, N, and from thence into the uptake U. When the fire needs cleaning the crank F is turned in the reverse direction. This brings the fingers F of the cleaner up between the bars of the grate G and shoves forward toward the discharge-passage Y and gate H the ashes or cinders resting upon the grate. At the same time the cam E, revolving with the cleaner, depresses the short arm E of the lever E which raises the opposite or long end,E*, and throws rearward the arm E of the gate H, and with it the shaft and guard-fingers H This raises the gate H with a circular sweep and permits the discharge of the contents gathered by the sweep of the fin- 7 arranged as pillars to the corners of the gers F from the grate through the front discharge-passage, Y, into the free space Z in front of the grate, where it drops into the ashchute D, which guides it into the dust-drawer O.

R is a dust-damper in a flue leading to the direct draft of the stove, range, or heater, which is opened when the cleaner is operated, but at all other times kept closed. The revertible flues R R in a rectangular stove may be changed from the position shown and be same, the draft passing down one set and up the other.

Although I prefer the automatic raising of the gate H, as described, yet it may be fixed in its position, as shown by Fig. 10, Sheet 3, by setting the lower edge of the gate about one and one-half inch above the floorgrate of the fire-grate chamber. This would-form a permanent passage, Y, and permit a discharge over the front of the grate into the clear space Z in front of the same, as shown. This arrangement would also dispense with the mechanism for operating the slicer or cleaner F in concert with the gate H. Cases may arise where, from the size of the grate floor, one

'slicer or cleaner would not effectively clear the grate. To meet this difliculty there would be a duplication of the cleaners, all the extra ones placed in service being connected with each other, and the main cleaner F being mechanically operated by a series of gears, W W W or their equivalent, placed on their respective shafts between the fire-grate-chamber wall and the outside shell of the stove. This clearing operation is repeated as often as may be deemed necessary, there being no danger of dropping the fire, as no more than the sweeping of the bottom layer of coals, cinder, or ashes can be taken from the fire-grate chamber at any one revolution of the crank F should any coals lodge under the gate-fingers and prevent its dropping. The arrangement of the cam and lever mechanism is such that a partial direct revolution of the crank F will engage the slicer-fingers F with the ends of two or more of the teeth or fingers H project in g between the bars G for that purpose, thus raising the gate H. the fingers F, between the bars and projecting above them, will press the obstruction away from the gate, the stop E preventing the advance of the fingers F beyond the inner face of the gate H in its raised position.

There are many advantages in the use of the above described grate and the devices combined therewith that are not attainable by any grate arrangement known to me. Grates having arrangements for partial dumping and the use of a rake or automatic poker therewith have been used, (m'de patent of George R. Moore, No. 14,200, February 5, 1856 but, as arranged, it was requisite to use caution after a certain amount of cleaning had been done, or the contents of the firepot would drop through the grate.

In my improvement only a fixed quantity can pass out by one operation of the crank F Grates have also been in use having duplex pieces forming the floor of the fire chamber, connected by gear or cams so arranged that on a revolution or partial revolution byacrank the interlocking fingers on the bars should, with the layer of ashes, coal, or cinder resting thereon, be passed into the ash-pit below, a fresh surface of the bars being presented to the fire. In this style of grate, as far as it has come under my notice, there is a tendency to discharge unburned coal or to catch and crush coal still serviceable as fuel.

A defect common to the above-described grates, as well as the ordinary dumping-grate, is that when it becomes necessary to rebuild a fire the contents of the stove are dumpedinto the ash-pit in a solid mass, difficult to remove The rearward motion of without dust and litter, whereas by my improvement the contents can be discharged drawer by drawer full, and no dust or litter created thereby, as in operating the cleaning or discharging device there is no crushing of material or jamming of the same to overcome. A child can handle a large-sized cleaner without fatigue.

This improvement is applicable to all styles of furnaces, heaters, stoves, and ranges, although more particularly designed for rectangular stoves, or those having rectangular firechambers, and will operate as well with bituminous as with anthracite coal. The arrangement of the double superimposed fire-pots J and K gives an increased amount of radiatingsurface, and the addition of the hot-air flue T, in connection with the backs of the fines R R, and which forms part of the same, from the extent of heating-surface thus secured, makes an efficient heater for an upper apartment and creates a free and healthful circulation of air in the apartment in which it is located.

Having described my improvement and its operation, I desire to secure by Letters Patent the following claims:

1. The front discharge-passage, Y, of a firegrate chamber, E, in combination with the grate G and slicer or cleaner F, or their equivalents, substantially as shown and described.

2. The front discharge-passage, Y, of a firegrate chamber, E,in combination with the grate G, slicer or cleaner F, and gate H, substantially as shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination, with the grate G, slicer or cleaner F, gate H, and front discharge-passage, Y, of the free space Z in front of said grate, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

4. The rearwardly-inclined gate H, in combination with the discharge-opening Y and grate G, by the operation of the slicer or cleaner F, by or without the intervention of automatic gear, substantially as described, and for the purpose specified.

5. In combination with a fire-grate chamber, E, the grate G,-having a concave face at the rear and a convex face at the front, both tangent to the floor of the grate, and the latter also tangent to the perpendicular drop of the bars,which are combinedat a suitable distance below the grate-floor, as shown, and substantially as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination of the grate G, gate or shelf H, and slicer or cleaner F with the cam E, lever E arm E", and crank E and the fire-grate chamber E,whereby the same maybe automatically cleaned, substantially as shown,

and for the purpose set forth.

7. A fire-grate chamber, E, provided with an automatic cleaning device or its equivalent, as described, in combination with two or more fire-pots, J K, superimposed above said firegrate chamber, the dead-air space L, and clearance or free space Z in front of the fire-grate chamber, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

SILAS H. LA RUE.

Witnesses:

MATTHIAS MENGEL A. N. GLASS. 

